The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1887-07-22
THE CARS PRISON HOME.


The Great Catchina Fortress in which
He Hides in Terror.
'sQuis custodist ipsos custodesf'' is the
reflection which springs into ones mind
on hearing the rumors as to attempts on
the ears life in his rural retreat at Cat
china. The country house inhabited by
the autOcrat of all the Russias is nothing
more nor less than fortress surrounded
by moats, with a strong garrison, and
situated in the midst of an immense
camp, III which countless detachments of
soldiers, horse, foot, artillery and even
engineers, are quartered. Yet even here
the life of the sovereign Is exposed to
various perils, chief among which is the
notorious disaffectiOn of portions of his
vast army. The time was when the car
could at least reckon on the fidelity of.
his troops and on the blind and unrea-
soning devotion of the liberated serfs.
Now all is changed. 1t is acknowledged
that the revolutionary movement has
spread with appalling and significant
rapidity, even to classes which had always
been regarded as trustworthy.
Meanwhile, however, Alexander LII
has no alternative but to make the best
of the situation. Picked soldiers guard
him day and night at Gatchina, and the
strictist discipline prevails in the fortress
castle. writer who a short time ago
had the rare privilege of an Introduction
to the presence of the CZarina, gives
graphic account of his visit, and of the
precautions taken to prevent any mishap.
Travelling from st. Petersburg to Catch
ina in company with Gen. lgnatieH and
Gen BaumgarteD, one of the emperOr's
aides de camp, he noticed all along the
route small attachments of engineers
encamped in the open air at short inter
walls from each other. COSsacks, mounted
ON their small horses, gailOped about
in every direction. The party were
fetched at the station by one of the
imperial carriages, which started off at
full speed, and, after crossing a bridge,
strongly guarded, arrived at huge gate
way, at which the writer and his COM
panions had to show their papers. Thence
they were conducted to a wing of the
palace, where the same ceremonial was
gone through, after which they were
taken through perfect labyrinth OF
passages and staircases to rooms reserved
for them. The writer was asked if he
would have luncheon or tea, and was
then left to himself until the hour APP
pointed for his audience. AT noon Gen.
Baumgarten came to fetch him.
On the way to the central building he
saw the steps crowded with sentries, who
in turn presented arms with such din
that he shrewdly suspected that the noise
was intended TO warn their comrades
further off of the arrival of a stranger.
Next large hall, in which 100 soldiers of
the guard were on duty, was traversed.
At the further end the visitor had again
TO exhibit his papers, and after ascending
a magnificent staircase and crossing hall
in which a gigantic Moor in superb
costume, and two huge IeherkeSses armed
to the teeth with dirks and pistols were
stationed, he was introduced by man
servant into a small but elegant drawing
room, whence he passed, under the con-
duct of one of the gentlemen on service,
into the empress reception room. After
half an hour s conversation, in the course
of which her ma jesty remarked that there
were some very impiOus men in Russia,
the writer withdrew, but ere he took
leave of Gen. Baumgarten the latter, re-
ferring to the frankness with which he
had spoken, told him that no Russian
would have dared give advice to the
czarina, jokingly adding: Take care!
You may be sent to Siberia. What can
be more characteristic than this rap
proachment of the aide de camps grils
taken by the sovereign to avert all danger
from himself and his family.-LondOn
Telegraph.